DIY with Military Pension Division Order (MPDO)

My ex and I used a joint attorney (with signed waiver) to go through our agreements - parenting plan, division of assets, etc. - but we must use a separate attorney to file the actual divorce paperwork and military pension division order (MPDO).
I’d love to be able to just finish it up myself instead of paying a consultation fee to another attorney and paying them to file the paperwork, but I’m not sure it’s possible. Speficially, I am trying to find out if I am able to file the MPDO on my own using the “diy” service or if a specialized attorney is necessary to complete it. Anyone know?

If the pension division order is by consent, has already been drafted, and both parties have signed it, then you will only need to submit the order to the judge to be signed. No specialized attorney is required at this juncture.

You will need to file your absolute divorce complaint and include a claim for equitable distribution of retirement accounts. At your court date for the absolute divorce, the judge should also be able to sign and enter the pension division order at the same time he/she signed the divorce judgment.

If your pension division order has not already been drafted then you will need to hire an attorney that regularly handles retirement division orders to draft it as these are very specific and precise orders.


Anna Ayscue

Attorney with Rosen Law Firm Cary • Chapel Hill • Durham • Raleigh • Wake Forest

Rosen Online | Unlimited confidential access to a North Carolina attorney for $199/mo - click here

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